National Education Policy Row: Tamil Nadu Moves Supreme Court Against Centre Over Withheld Funds

The Tamil Nadu government has filed a petition before the Supreme Court accusing the Union Government of withholding funds after the state government decided not to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, ANI reported.

In its plea, the state has sought the release of over Rs 2,000 crore allegedly withheld by the Centre.

The petition requests that the apex court fix a time frame for the fund’s disbursal and also order payment of 6 per cent annual interest on the withheld amount.

The state government has also asked SC to declare Union Government's action of withholding funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme to implement NEP as "unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable.

The DMK-led government has further urged the court to declare that the NEP 2020 and the PM SHRI Schools Scheme are not binding on Tamil Nadu.

The petition also seeks a directive for the Union Government to continue to comply with and perform its statutory obligations under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2010, specifically to contribute its 60 per cent share in grants-in-aid before every academic year.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had earlier announced that the state would move the Supreme Court to secure the funds, accusing the Centre of penalising the state for not adopting the NEP.

The state has voiced strong opposition to the three-language formula in the NEP, alleging an attempt by the Centre to “impose Hindi” in a state with a long-standing resistance to such moves.

Earlier, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking enforcement of the three-language formula in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal, observing, “It cannot directly compel a state to adopt a policy like the National Education Policy 2020.”

The bench, led by Justice JB Pardiwala, ruled the petitioner had no direct stake in the matter.

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